The Windows 10 Anniversary Update is breaking webcams

MICROSOFT’S latest Windows 10 update is causing webcams to freeze and stop working, the US company has confirmed.

Microsoft is facing a torrent of backlash from consumers and businesses complaining that the Windows 10 Anniversary Update has broken some third-party USB cameras. The update, released on August 2nd, reportedly dropped support for two major video compression formats — specifically the H.264 and MJPEG codecs. According to Microsoft-focused blog Thurrott.com, this was supposedly a decision the company made to prevent performance issues now that certain Windows apps have more direct webcam access post-update.

Both network-connected and hard-wired USB webcams have been affected by the issue.

For many users, webcams now freeze as soon as they try to load. That leaves video chat apps, including Microsoft’s own Skype, impossible to use.

Microsoft expects to release a fix through Windows Update in September, but unlike the freezing bug, there is no official workaround, so for the meantime users will need to settle for Microsoft’s apology and its explanation of what went wrong.